A lawyer can specialize in any one of several areas of legal work. These are:

CIVIL LAW

Concerns private rights of individuals, handling of damage suits, breach of contract suits, preparing and drawing up deeds, leases, wills, mortgages, contracts; acting as trustee, guardian or executor of an estate.

CORPORATION LAW

Deals with advising corporations on their legal rights, obligations, privileges; studies constitutions,
statutes, previous decisions, ordinances, decisions of quasi-judicial nature applicable to corporations; advises corporations on whether to register a lawsuit at all.

CRIMINAL LAW

Specializes in law cases dealing with offences against society/state (eg. theft, murder, arson). Criminal lawyers interview clients and witnesses to ascertain facts, correlate findings, prepare a case to defend the client on charges, conduct trials, examine and cross-examine witnesses.

PATENT LAW

Specializes in securing patents for inventors from the patents office. Patent lawyers prosecute or defend suits of patent infringement, prepare detailed specifications of the patent.

TAX LAW

Specializes in cases on problems of inheritance, income tax, estate tax, franchises, real tax.

INTERNATIONAL LAW

Specializes in treaties, customs, traditions, observed by nations in their relations with one
another.

REAL ESTATE LAW

Handles the conveyance of property, search records and deeds to establish titles of property, holding of funds for investment, acting as trustee of property, drawing up legal documents such as deeds, leases, mortgages.

LABOUR LAW

Pertains to workers, their associations, their working conditions rights and duties. Lawyers specializing in this branch have to sort out problems between management and workers.

Nature of Work

After graduating a lawyer has several professional options. Law firms employ fresh graduates as apprentices or assistants. 

Normally during the final year of the LLB exam a student takes up apprenticeship with either a solicitor or an advocate's firm. After two years of articleship the law apprentice sits for the exam of articled clerk conducted by the law society. 

After several years of valuable experience and skill and having established important contacts and a steady clientele obtained while working in a legal firm, a lawyer can start a private practice. Private practice immediately after studies is impractical, unless there is a family legal firm to join. 

Legal professionals can also find employment in private industry. Solicitors attached to companies involve themselves in unit petitions, matters regarding transfer of properties in purchase sale mortgages, or in company mergers, joint ventures take-overs and corporate taxation. Some lawyers can be employed in a non-executive or part-time basis as consultants for companies. 

Companies may also avail of the services of a solicitor from a solicitor's firm to handle the company's legal cases. The solicitor then along with the Company Secretary briefs the advocate who presents the case in court.

There are also avenues of work for lawyers in government service. A candidate who qualifies in the Law Service Commission of State Public Service Commission entrance examination is eligible for appointment as munsif.

Further promotions lead up to the post of sub judge and a District and Sessions Court judge who represents that highest judicial authority for the district. On the basis of seniority and availability of posts, these judges can then be appointed to the High Court, and beyond to the Supreme Court. 

Law graduates can also apply for the legal branch in the defense forces. Those who qualify in the services selection board interview, group testing and psychological testing, are absorbed in the Judge Advocate General's department in the defense services. 

State and Central Government undertakings and public sector corporations also employ lawyers in their legal departments. For senior advisory posts in government, a law degree useful. 

Post-graduates in law can opt for teaching, although often those teaching in colleges are practicing lawyers who do so on a part-time basis.